Joe Biden, Obama Disagree On Gay Marriage

By

Carlos Santoscoy

|
December 26, 2010

Vice President Joe Biden made comments
in support of gay marriage two days after President Obama gave the
institution a lukewarm cheer.

The self-described “fierce” gay
rights advocate refused to endorse marriage for gay and lesbian
couples shortly after he signed a landmark gay rights bill that
repeals “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” the 1993 law that bans gay and
bisexual troops from serving openly.

“My feelings about this are
constantly evolving – I struggle with this,” Obama told reporters
on Wednesday. “I have friends, I have people who work for me who
are in powerful, strong, long-lasting gay or lesbian unions. And
they are extraordinary people.”

“At this point, what I've said is
that my base line is a strong civil union that provides them the
protections and the legal rights that married couples have. And I
think that's the right thing to do. But I recognize that from their
perspective it is not enough. And I think this is something we're
going to continue to debate. And I personally am going to continue
to wrestle with going forward.”

Biden, on the other hand, came close to
endorsing the institution, saying it was “inevitable.”

Appearing Friday on ABC's morning talk
show Good Morning America, Biden compared gay marriage to the
issue of the military's gay ban.

“Well, I think the country is
evolving,” Biden told George Stephanopoulos, “I think there is an
inevitability for a national consensus on gay marriage. That is my
view.”

“I remember the first time he [Obama]
met with the Joint Chiefs – I was with him. He said, 'Gentlemen, I
want you to prepare now. I want to end 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' And
so he prepared the ground so that it is as widely accepted as it is
today by the military. And I think the same thing is happening
across the country with regard to the issue of marriage,” he added.
(The video is embedded in the right panel of this page.)